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Maximilien IV Constantin Auguste d'Hanovre
Maximilien IV d'Hanovre '''(French: Maximilien Constantin Auguste d'Hanovre, German: Maximilian Konstantin Augustus von Hannover) (18th September 1689 - Present), known as the Prince de Lunebourg (German: Prinz von Lunebourg) (1689-1696) from birth, is the current patriarch of the House Hanovre, Prince-Électeur de Brunswick, and a Stratége de Grandelumiere. The son of Justin Constantin Alexandre d'Hanovre and Irene Justine Alexandrine de La Trémoïlle, he ascended to the position of Prince-Électeur de Brunswick at the tender age of seven due to the untimely death of his father and predecessor. As a result of his minority upon his ascension to the position, his mother, Irene Justine Alexandrine de La Trémoïlle, Duchesse Douairière de Brunswick, managed house affairs. Maximilien, or Maxime as his close friends and family knew him, was known for his licentious manner and liberal attitudes towards intimacy. This was a characteristic that would only be accentuated in time, particularly in his most famous occupation as the ''Archimignon ''to Emperor Constantin XI & XXII, with whom he would partake in an increasingly dissolute life from 1717 onward. Prior to this, he was known to keep court with famed court beauties, both women and men, having had many lovers over the course of his life. In his official court capacity as the Archicancellarius, he was neither exceptionally skilled nor critically incapable and was considerably more able in the realm of jurisprudence than in any other. Early Life '''Birth Maximilien Constantin Auguste d'Hanovre was born on the 18th September 1688, at the Grand Palais de Constantinoble. He was the firstborn son and second child of Justin Constantin Alexandre d'Hanovre, Prince-Électeur de Brunswick, and Irene Justine Alexandrine de La Trémoïlle, Électrice de Brunswick. Maximillien's grandfather 7th Prince-Électeur de Brunswick, had three children; Justin, Philippe, and Alexandre, two of which had beautiful children. The eldest son Justin (Justin Constantin Alexandre) would have Josephine, followed by Maximillien, Etiennette, Louis, Alexandrine, and Philippe. His brother Philippe (Philippe Justin Alexandre) would have Philippe, Isabelle, Justin, Alexandre, Justine, Etiennette, and Josephine. Finally, the youngest of the three, Alexandre (Alexandre Louis Constantin) would have one child, Charlotte, known affectionately as Lotte. Upon Maximillien's (occasionally known as Maxime) birth, he was proclaimed the new Prince de Lunebourg. His delivery was long and arduous for his mother, however, she was relieved to see that she had given birth to a boy, and an heir to the Electoral House. After his birth, he was handed over to his wet-nurse and governess, Marie Cunigunde de Franzenheim, Dame de Franzenheim. He was particularly close to his wet-nurse, and later governess, since she regularly showered him with affection. He was sent to the Château de Sarcelles shortly after his delivery with his governess, and spent his vital formative years there surrounded by many of his cousins. Surrounded by relative ease from birth, Maxime would grow accustomed to a life of pleasure and self-interest, natural occupations for his station. Childhood Early Childhood He had little contact with his father and was instead raised by a bevvy of governesses and tutors. His relationship with his mother was significantly more pleasant as she made frequent visits to her children. The young Maxime also shared a close relationship with his elder sister, having grown up much beyond her years as the undesired eldest daughter and sharing much in common. As such, Maxime generally looked up to her for advice, which allowed the sibling relationship to evolve into that of lifelong companions. His relationship with his brothers, however, was not nearly as close. From the age of six, his father decided to send all his children away from Sarcelles and to the Electorate itself with the intent to be educated, believing that the harsher and colder environment would ensure that the children are brought up with a backbone. He and his siblings were to be brought up at the Kurfürstlicher Palast in Hanover. Here, Maximilien would receive an extensive education in both statesmanship and war, following the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who had both been stratéges. Baptism and Succession Unusually, though not all uncommonly, Maxime was baptised on upon his seventh birthday, and formally given the name Maximilien Constantin Auguste (Maximilien after his grandfather, Constantin in a tribute to the Emperor and Auguste as his father's chosen name.) His godparents were Charles-Bénédict Raphaël de Wittlesbach, the Électeur du Palatin, and his wife, Marie-Fleur Raphaëlle de Rochechouart de Mortemart de Viennois, Électrice du Palatin, and maîtresse-en-titre to Empereur Constantin X & XXI. Succeeding the baptism, Alexandre d'Hanovre would fall ill with consumption and eventually succumbed to his illness. This left the young Maxime as the 9th Prince-Électeur de Brunswick. In accordance with Alexandre's will, family affairs were left to the charge of his mother, the new Douairière-Électrice. For the time being, Maxime and three siblings remained in Brunswick, and his education went on unchanged. Development During his upbringing in Brunswick, Maximilien formed several close friendships with a circle of provincial German nobles, such as Marie Frederique de Lippe and Louis Georges de Limbourg-Stirum. He regularly went out riding with his Maître de Cheval, and became fascinated by hunting at an early age. In addition to this, he was educated in swordsmanship, being taught how to fence. Swordsmanship became a passion of his, and he practised it regularly with his instructor. At the age of twelve in 1701, Maximilien would begin his formal education. He would be sent to the prestigious Université de Cologne to be educated in jurisprudence, alongside a few childhood friends, including the aforementioned Georges de Limbourg-Stirum. He was simultaneously educated separately in war by tutors, including the old Prince de Salm, a stratége and veteran of skirmishes fought by St. Marie II. University Education In Cologne, despite being considered a joker and playing tricks on professors and students alike, he was very interested in his studies. During university recesses, such as Lent, he returned to Hanover and the Kurfürstlicher Palast. His first return to Hanover at the age of thirteen saw his first romance with Frederique de Lippe, one of his childhood friends, but this only lasted for a year. At the same time, Maximilien began to notice people of the same sex, in particular, his other friend Georges de Limbourg-Stirum. This resulted in a scandal when the two were found together and were brought before the Rector of the university. Georges was expelled, however Maximilien was permitted to stay at the university due to the influence that his family held. Despite initial distress at the fact, he later became involved with further romances including Marie Héloïse d'Arenbourg and Frédéric Charles Auguste de Schaumbourg. Eventually, by the age of 20 in 1709, Maximillien would graduate from the University of Cologne with a degree in Jurisprudence. It was also at this point that the rank of Tourmarque was purchased in the military, starting his long career within various conflicts. With this new post, he made his way to the court of Constantin X & XXI, where he would find the position of Gentilhomme du Chateau, granting him a position at court formally. Courtly Beginnings Early Turmoil and Civil War Within a year, Constantin X & XXI would pass, creating political turmoil as his grandson Constantin XI & XXII became the sovereign, at only 8 years old. With this, the Regency war, later named the Mortemart Rebellion, broke out. The Regent, perhaps aiming to destroy the influence of the Mortemart family (his maternal cousins), purposely refused to share the passing of the old Emperor with the Electrice du Palatin, Raphaelle de Mortemart, Maxime's Godmother. As tensions rose, the Regent took it upon himself to exile the woman, sparking the war as the Mortemart's went into self-exile with their relative. This split the court, bringing many powerful members with the Mortemart family to the Palais Cardinal, including Maxime. Upon the funeral of the Emperor, the Mortemart's incited riots across the path of the Regent and kidnapped the young Emperor, forcing the Regent's supporters to flee Paris. Maxime would supply both funding and troops from his lands. In return, he was made Provost of Paris. In his new position, he made himself well connected to various members of the Imperial Diet, particularly those of prominent families within it. From here, the Regency primarily tasked itself with reducing the rioting across the city, which proved unsurprisingly difficult. Maxime was appointed to the Mortemart forces during the Battle of Conde-sur-Marne, ultimately proving unsuccessful. While negotiations dragged out, securing a beneficial treaty for both the Mortemart's and the Regency, Maxime's position was forfeit to the pro-Lorrainer faction. Nevertheless, he retained the close connections he had made throughout his short career. The very next year saw Grandelumiere's involvement in the Pichonnerie, a rebellion within Brittany, a close ally of Grandelumiere and ruled by the Evreux, from which the Anjou had descended. This had been ongoing since the prior year, but only in March of 1711 did Maxime and the military of Grandelumiere partake in action. Maxime had a relatively unimportant position within the efforts as the Philippe II de Lorraine, the Regent, led the efforts, who was naturally distrustful of the man. The war was extremely unpleasant, the military butchering many rebels, and garnering a deep disliking for the Empire within Brittany. Shortly following the war, the Dauphin de Viennois (patriarch of the Mortemarts) pursuing his promotion to Merarque, which was ultimately achieved. Following the war and while remaining deeply involved in the Mortemart circle at court, Maxime began a relationship with Marie Philippe Antoinette de Rochechouart de Mortemart de Rochebrune. The pair were involved in several large, debauched parties at his residence in Sarcelles. While certainly a noted libertine, he also displayed capability as a courtier and, better yet, a deep passion for hunting gained him a beneficial reputation with Emperor Constantin XI & XXII. This gained his promotion to Grand Huntsman in 1714. Final Years of the Regency In 1715, Maxime was deployed as part of the Second Great Turkish War. While he was posted to the Austrian front, the war ended fairly quickly with the Regent's swift turn on the Ottoman's and their crushing defeat. This paved the war for the meeting of the Holy League that year, which resolved to dismantle the Ottoman Empire to the benefit of Christendom. The meeting of the Holy League lasted two weeks within Grandelumierian territory. However, the return to the capital of Paris saw the vast Grandelumierian cortege, which had been brought in full display of Imperial status and wealth, trapped in deep snows. During this period, the Regent fell ill, requiring Maxime to draw up a will in case of his passing, but this proved to be unneeded as he would regain his health shortly before the party moved back on its way to Paris. From here, while fleets were prepared in Toulon for an invasion of the Levant, Maxime returned to Court. Maxime did not see action during the wars in northern Africa and Arabia, and instead secured his position at home in court. By 1716, he would partake in a very brief relationship with Louis Philippe de Manderscheid-Kail, Chevalier de Manderscheid. Death of the Regent Upon the death of Philippe II de Lorraine, the Duc de Valois attempted to seize the Regency, a fellow Prince du Sang who had sided with the Lorrainers during the Regency War. Maxime joined the Mortemart faction, old rivalries running deep and seeing a chance to finally remove the Princes du Sang from power, in the palace coup against the Duc de Valois. Using his previously made connections, Maximillien bribed several senior judges to their cause. This resulted in the declaration of the Emperor's majority merely a week after the death of the Regent. His role in delivering the Emperor’s majority only served to raise him in the Emperor’s esteem, with the Emperor now calling him ‘Maxime’. The Emperor appointed Brunswick as his Archicancellarius after the Emperor’s coronation and raised him to the rank Stratege. Following this, Brunswick invited the Emperor to one of his notorious parties at Sarcelles, where, amongst other things, Maxime introduced the Emperor to the Vice Italienne,''a common appellation for sodomy. This resulted in a short dispute between the then Maitresse-en-Titre, the Duchesse de Ventadour, as she confronted the pair on the stairwell. Despite the initial incident, Brunswick and Ventadour were initially able to coexist, and while Ventadour remained the favourite, from 1718, the two of them were certainly on equal footing. Throughout this time, he remained firmly in the Mortemart circle, using his newfound favour to lobby for governorships for the heir of the Dauphin, the Duc de Montpipeau. The primary tasks of his early role in the authority of Archchancellor were oversight of the war debts and restoration of confidence in the government by repealing the unpopular bread laws put in place by Philippe II. '''War of the Triple Alliance' Also within 1718 came the Spanish interest in reclaiming lost land from the Treaty of Utrecht. Seeking to maintain a close relationship with Spain, a traditional ally, the Empire voiced its support of the Spanish claims. This led to the War of the Triple Alliance, composed of England, Austria, and the Dutch. Maximilien swiftly moved to command the Dutch front, while the Dauphin was sent to the Austrian front, and the Electeur du Palatin was sent to Naples. He would lead several successful battles within the Netherlands, the first major success in this front came in April of 1718 during the Battle of Heerlen, this paved the way for the Siege of Maastricht. The successful siege was carried out using the 'siege parallel' which had been in use since the 16th century. Starting on the 29th of April with the digging of the trenches, by the 7th of June, the army was in a place to make its invasion and the city surrendered by the 11th. This allowed for the movement of the forces northward, the next major confrontations taking place in Sittard and Roermond, in late July and mid-August respectively, following similar tactics. In all, this required the forced labour of 20,000 workers to dig trenches for these major sieges. However, the army's progress had slowed by this point, and operations ceased until the spring of 1719. Roermond had been long sympathetic to Catholicism, a steadfast base for the religion in the Netherlands, and the army found themselves quite welcome. When March of 1719 came about, the army made way once more for Venlo in the north. Once this was captured, the army crossed the Meuse river. Partaking in a handful of small battles on their way westward, once the army had reached the outskirts of the city of Helmond the Emperor and a handful of senior courtiers came to visit the front. It was during this stay, through the month of August, that Constantin XI & XXII increasingly came under the domination of Maxime, physically and politically. Constantin, perhaps as a result of the overt coddling he'd received from the Mortemarettes, had a penchant for submission, which the Electeur was only too happy to fill. Certainly the young Emperor, at this point 17, displayed considerable enjoyment when Brunswick provided orders, which only served to worry close confidantes of the Emperor at this blatant display of weakness. Nevertheless, by 1720, the war came to a close and in February of that year, a treaty was signed which awarded much of Spain's territory back, while Grandelumiere gained Maastricht, Heerlen, Sittard, Roermond, and Venlo. Maxime returned to Paris to retake control of the government, which the Emperor slowly ceded to him. Upon their return, it was noted that books had been published against the sovereign, painting his long-suffering wife in a positive manner. Despite even Maximilien's attempts, the emperor would mercilessly berate Justine, going so far as to have two clergymen killed while tearing her rooms apart. This later led to her premature birth and her own death as a result. Court Favourite Early Rumours By 1721, the Emperor was to marry the sister of Justine, known as Constantine Marie, who had become Duchesse following her death. Having waited in the Emperor's private rooms until such time as the Emperor was finished with his consummation, Maximilien was rumoured to have partaken in the consummation, rumours abounding that he had sodomised the Emperor throughout the event, or that it was Brunswick who had performed the consummation in place of the Emperor, or even both events simultaneously. These rumours continued well up until the death of Empress Constantine, speculating that the children of the Empress were really Maximilien's bastards. Political Acts In 1722, in order to stimulate internal trade, Brunswick had the Canal of Saint-Quentin constructed between the rivers of the Oise and the Somme. Furthermore, with the help of the Cardinal Electeur de Mayence, Maximilien had sought fit to continue the persecution of Jansenists in the Diet and the Empire at large. This was primarily out of an attempt to politically unify the Empire rather than out of religious zealotry. In 1723, in accordance with the Anjou compact that came out of the War of the Triple Alliance, the Mademoiselle de Sens was married to the King of Sardinia, who was the son of King Philippe V of Spain. Furthermore, he attempted to smooth over the strained relationship with England following said war. Perhaps as a means of solidifying his position from the clutches of the Duchesse de Ventadour (now Duchesse de Levis and Duchesse-Regnant of Menars), in 1727 Maximilien was to entertain the court at his residence in Herrenhausen under the pretext of a Grand Bear Hunt. It was also here, however, that the pair would take their exhibitionistic attitude to new lengths. Not only would the pair be spotted within the maze and during the hunt itself, but Maximilien directed the Emperor to provide certain pleasure to him as the others received communion. While to some, this was merely the latest in a long series of inappropriate moves, to others, this represented an act which entirely undermined the sacred institution of the monarchy. Riots of 1728 and St. Bernard's Massacre In May of 1728, a second son was born of Empress Constantine and conferred the title Duc de Normandie. From this, a long series of parties and festivities began. However, this would come to a halt with the races at the Hippodrome. The Parisian population, angry with Brunswick's position, and having been spurred by Priests who had called for his removal in Mass, attended in droves. The Duchesse de Teck later stating that as much as two-thirds of the attendees supported the greens. When the blues eventually won, the greens erupted into angered fighting, shouting against Brunswick and the Emperor. With this, the Emperor ordered the troops to kill anyone in green, more-or-less, before the court made a quick escape for the Chateau de Saint-Etienne. It was during a hunt shortly after, that the Emperor would be attacked by a boar, goring his leg. Maximilien, in an unusual display of affection, wept while demanding his treatment. He would, from there on out, remain at the side of the Emperor. While the Madame de Levis saw an opportunity to rid the Emperor of Brunswick, it would prove her undoing when the Electeur de Brunswick heard of the incident and dismissed her from Saint-Etienne. Personality and Appearance Personality Maximilien, much like his predecessors, had one main concern on his mind, and that was to seek pleasure and excitement in life wherever he might find it. This was perhaps the result of a relaxed, idyllic life lived by the young boy and his siblings, and this, mixed with the sudden strict, military discipline of his father, may have led to the combination of the two. Maximilien did, rather obviously, derive pleasure from being in control and authority. This was made most obvious in his relationship with Constantin XI & XXII. Such behaviour might have been expected in nobility, however, this was more dangerous when leading one's sovereign down the same path. Within his relationship, Maximilien was unconcerned with who had commerce ''with, as evidenced by his lasting relationship with his sovereign. He had relationships with both men and women equally, as evidenced by his number of female and male love interests throughout his life. However, in his role as the so-called ''Archimignon''for Constantin XI & XXII, these had died down towards the mid-point of his life. His relationship with the sovereign was both one of affection and confidence which had been attained from a mutual love of the hunt. Though he also acted in a somewhat fatherly role, reprimanding the Emperor in his many, many ill-received behaviours, such as beating his wife Justine. He was, then, the most obvious member of the libertine faction at court, and most certainly a débauché. With a taste for any act that was not socially conventional, particularly in the realm of ''commerce''and the sort. Outside of his relationships, he was an avid hunter and rider, taking to the hunt daily in the prime season, though he rarely stayed away from the hunt for long regardless of the time of the year. While hunting was certainly his chief pleasure, both fencing and dancing provided similar enjoyment to the Electeur. '''Appearance' In terms of his appearance, Maximilien was certainly considered to be an attractive man by the standards of his time. As a result, in terms of his figure, he was neither considered thin nor overweight and was certainly less plump than the average nobleman of his time. Though by no means did he lack weight, this was unavoidable due to the lifestyle of court. He managed to keep himself comparatively fit through his regular practising of the aforementioned hunt, fencing, and the occasional instruction in ballet in which he was relatively competent. This provided a frame that was relatively stronger than the average courtier, a stature which was helped somewhat by his natural height of 5'9 which was a few inches taller than many of his fellow courtiers, the average height of his contemporaries at the time was 5'6/7. Complimenting his physical frame, he had a face of relatively sharp, angular features, such as his jawline and his nose, both of which were rather pointed. His lips were of similar design, pointing in a prominent cupid's bow, and his eyes were framed by a pair of curved, but full, eyebrows which were naturally occurring within his family. However, contrasting these, where a pair of soft brown eyes. In terms of physical defects, his face had suffered light scarring after surviving a bout of smallpox as a child. This was handled with the application of powder and makeup which were stables of all individuals at court, male or female. Issue With his wife, Marie Gabrielle Henriette d'Anjou de Valois who had been married in 1710, he had three surviving children; * Marie Justine Augustine, Mademoiselle de Brunswick (19th October 1712 - Present) * Justin Constantin Auguste, Prince de Lunebourg (1st April 1714 - Present) * Marie Irene Etienette, Mademoiselle de Calenbourg (4th October 1715 - Present) Ancestry Titles, Styles, and Honours Titles and Styles * 18th September 1689 - 21st July 1696'His Highness, Prince de Lunebourg * '''21st July 1696 - Present'His Serene Highness, Électeur de Brunswick '''Honours * Chevalier de l'Ordre Sacré Militaire Constantinien de Saint-Georges * Chevalier de l'Ordre Suprême de la Très Sainte Assomption * Chevalier de l'Ordre de l'Hermine * Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Toison d'Or